Helen Bentley remembered as role model, public servant

A lawmaker who represented Baltimore County for more than a decade in Congress has died. Former U.S. Rep. Helen Bentley is remembered as one of a kind and a woman who fought with tenacity and a gruff political style for her constituents.

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The long-time journalist started her career covering the Port of Baltimore and labor issues for The Baltimore Sun in 1945. She was in a unique position and she took full advantage of the opportunity which resulted in the port bearing her name today.

Baltimore has the only port in the U.S. named after a single person. She understood the important role of the port to the local economy, and worked tirelessly to assist the maritime industry.

Her political career took her to Congress for five terms, representing the Second Congressional District, where she was known for her negotiating skills and helped mediate a dockworkers strike.

She was a role model and a public servant, and she leaves a legacy of a lifetime of public service and commitment to this state and country.